"Look, it's not that I don't appreciate the invitation, Liz."
Diana's ears perked up at the sound of the man's voice as she started around the corner to the guest rooms.
The man's voice continued. "I'm just not up for it right now."
Diana stopped in her tracks.
That voice.
There was something so familiar about that voice.
Maybe it was the pain in it that she recognized—but it felt like something more than that.
Diana inhaled and straightened her back.
She could do this.
She could try to comfort this man. She might not be able to do much—but she could try to make this evening a little more bearable for both of them.
Liz's voice sounded. "Didn't your mother ever tell you that we do a lot of things in this life that we're not exactly up for?"
The man paused.
Taking a deep breath in, Diana started forward again and rounded the corner—freezing the second she caught sight of the man chatting with Liz.
Luis's eyes flew up the second he felt her presence.
And then, suddenly, there she was—only a few feet away from him.
Was he seeing things?
He had to be seeing things.
That couldn't be her.
Luis swallowed hard.
Sheridan was dead.
"Number Nine?" Liz tried.
Luis's eyes remained fixed on Sheridan.
Liz turned to see what he was looking at. "Diana! I was just trying to convince our friend here to join us for dinner."
"Diana?" Luis's eyes flew to Liz.
"Yes." Liz paused. "Wait—you know her?"
"I know this is going to sound unbelievable," Luis said, "—but she looks exactly like my dead fiancée."
Liz's eyes widened. "She has amnesia."
"Amnesia . . ." Luis's eyes darted back to Sheridan.
"She can't even remember her own name," Liz said. "She does remember a man she deeply loved, but she remembers him dying. . . ."
"Dying?" Luis's brows shot up.
Sheridan took a step back. Tears springing to her eyes, she grasped at a nearby doorframe.
"Sheridan?" Hope rose in Luis's heart. "Sheridan—please say something."
"Sheridan?" Sheridan repeated, her body beginning to sway.
"I think she's going to . . ." Liz started.
"So do I." His pulse accelerating, Luis rushed to her side.
"It's you. It's really you," Sheridan gasped—managing to get out just a few words before collapsing into his arms. "My love . . . my Luis."
~Fin~
Congratulations! You've broken Tabitha's spell!
No matter what other obstacles this lifetime throws Luis and Sheridan's way,
they will face and overcome them together!
If you'd like to explore other routes you can take to break Tabitha's spell, restart your adventure and play again!
Or go to Chapter 17 to end this journey and read the author's closing note.
